While the Lisle Funeral Home has been at its current location since 1932, the building itself dates back to 1905. Harvey Swift, an early Fresno lumberman who organized the Fresno Flume and Irrigation Company, had the home designed and built for approximately $40,000 to $50,000, an extraordinary sum in the early 1900s.

The magnificent dwelling served as the locale for many costume balls, birthday parties, church affairs and other social events that took place in Fresno at that time.

During this time frame, John N. Lisle was establishing his first funeral home in Sanger. He also ran a local telephone company, along with a furniture and hardware business. In 1911, he opened a second funeral home in Coalinga. Two years later, he sold both funeral homes and bought the Beal Brothers Funeral Home at Tuolumne and Van Ness. He moved the business to Amador and Van Ness in 1918, and to the present location when he purchased the Swift mansion in 1932. In 1939, the Calaveras Chapel was added on the southern end of the building.

The Georgian Revival style dwelling, so popular at the turn of the century, is a designate of the Fresno County Historical Landmarks and Advisory Commission. It is also a designate on the City of Fresno Historical Property list.